You'll Really, Really Want To Ensure Your Pokémon Diamond/Pearl Remakes Are Updated At Launch

This seems pretty weird, but okay.

Could this content just be gated behind the update? As if a built in detractor to (the inevitable) leaks?

Sounds like they hit some deadline constraints. No wonder the industry is moving to all digital.

Maybe this was to tackle leakers? I hope so, because this is bizarre otherwise.

So basically a day one update as is usual with all games nowadays.

@thiz For copies sent to reviewers.

Between this situation, Legends Arceus launching so soon after and the end of post-launch support for games like Smash and Animal Crossing I really get the feeling Nintendo's releasing new hardware in 2022.

@Curator In another generation games will be 100% digital by the looks of it anyways.

@Grumblevolcano Nintendo Switch Next in 2023.

@thiz because some reviewers already have the game

Won't this be an automatic mandatory update the first time you boot the game?

@Grumblevolcano
How does a Pokemon game having a Day 1 patch indicate that new Nintendo hardware is releasing next year?

@Zuljaras Physical and digital are the same price in Canada as of last generation so here it really doesn't matter anymore unfortunately.

So wait no beginning credits for 2 days?

Does this mean the pre patch version is the optimal for speed runs?

@Pillowpants
The size of the Day 1 patch (~3 GB) relative to the entire game itself (~8 GB) is a bit surprising, but the existence of Day 1 patches should surprise no one.

@thiz or for people who won't/can't download the day-one update on release, who make it to the end of the game? It's certainly more a "just in case" statement.

As much as I tend to buy physical games the majority of the time.
I admit the future as a collector is becomming more and more uncertain.

When Nintendo are releasing sizable day one patches its not a great sign of a physical future.

@DarkTron Enough people buy games and have the internet, these huge mega companies literally don't care about people with no access to internet they have the numbers without those people to continue making insane profits. Elon does care however and is the reason he created Starlink, that and to fund his mars stuff.

That's just embarrassing... 😳 I enjoyed Diamond on DS, had no plan to get these, now I REALLY have no plan to get these.

@Burntbreadman yeah, the problem is that without all the mandatory day one patches, you'll only be able to play a bugged version of the game, if you don't have an internet connection.

@westman98 Contents of both updates (especially the post-launch one) seems like a case of needing delay but couldn't get one. BDSP and Legends Arceus being 2 months apart (which we've known since June) in its self is rather suspicious.

@Grumblevolcano
Okay, and that means Nintendo is releasing new hardware next year?

@TimeGuy Yes it will, 2023 we will see a new system. Nintendo released many new iterations of handhelds 1-2 years off from a new generation and no one complained or batted an eye before. Will they announce it this early though? No that would slow their own sales it would be a dumb move so they will wait until at least E3 to make that kind of announcement, maybe even later.

I'd love for a randomizer option after you complete the main game. It would really make replayability fun

What *****, I buy my games physically so that I can play them for years to come, now without the internet/Nintendo's servers, this will be a bugged inferior version. Great Job.

This is a tradition at this point and I am not here for it. Collectors will understand. Put the whole damn game on the card, Ill pay extra if I need to.

Damn, now I have to seriously consider cancelling my physical pre-order and going digital. Gotta have the full playable game on the cart to make it worth it.

@TheCold0ne It's why I have a feeling next Gen Nintendo will be the last physical generation.

@Jokerwolf That will be a sad day.

Cinematically are being added, hopefully the physical release doesn’t require an update for those

@RupeeClock

The reply to this from the developer is "Fantastic observation. PLEASE STOP BUYING PHYSICAL GAMES"

I've never worked on a game that was released on a cartage, but for CD games you would need to send the final build out about 3 months before mass distribution to make street date. You obviously need to keep your stuff on hand for release support, so that's 3 months LONGER you get to work on the game's digital release at no additional cost. Programming is way more modular then most people understand, which means having to get a game out of the door that is playable 3 months early really cuts into the quality of things like menus, inventory, load optimization, and most other global systems given it's way harder to go back and change them after the fact. It also really messes with your play testing, given you have spend resources testing a build you have no intention of keeping past day 1 just in case someone can't update.

This is the part the "no reason not to release physical" crowd doesn't get. A physical release makes every single game we ever play substantially worse. It's not just the need for day one patches, but it's lost manhours that could have been used polishing the game.

Ouch. I will switch to digital for my son.

Hmm looks like they are heading leakers and street date breakers off at the pass. This will likely become more widespread over time. (I mean most games with online content work like this But it is a good single player deterrent. )

@RupeeClock

Exactly. The problem is that as publishers started to experiment with things like releasing a physical copy after digital release without a sleeve it got a lot of (mostly negative) press, and the "physical or death" crowd went INSANE on social media. It's an option for small indie games no one is watching closely and is spaces where physical releases are not expected, but we're never going to see Nintendo or any other major publisher risk this type of backlash, so the only option will be skipping physical altogether or keeping it as is.

Think of that statement. It is pretty amazing when a fandom is so toxic that going out of your way to please them by ensuring a physical release means you'll get targeted for harassment, review bombing, and negative press because it's not perfect.

They should've just waited with it until right before launch, just to irritate pirates and people who get the game way too early

How damn rushed do you have to be to produce a half-baked “remake” and not have the opening and ending movie on the base cartridge on top of that…?

Holy s**t.

Wow. For the first time in the franchise's history, I am seriously considering skipping these. This is absolutely pathetic beyond words.

They could easily have delayed it. Yes, that would mean releasing the game early next year (and possibly pushing Arceus back so as to not risk brand fatigue), but considering how embarrassingly unambitious these games are, and to say, screw it, let's just dump an unfinished build on the cart, call it "Version 1.0" and call it a day? The fact that there aren't even crucial cutscenes in the base build? No opening sequence?!!!!!

The paid DLC for Sword/Shield almost completely killed my interest in the franchise until the physical expansion editions were issued (which put me at ease), but this is setting yet another awful, awful precedent for the franchise.

I'm torn as I am still tempted to pick up the dual pack for the Steelbook, playing Pearl, selling Diamond, and then double-dipping (as much as I hate to reward TPCi with even more money) on standalone editions of later reprints (perhaps in early 2023) with the software updates on the GD cartridges. Perhaps this is a blessing to expose what garbage these games really are.

To think that I was foolish enough to think that these games were simple enough that they would be done and dusted at Version 1.0, like the days of old. Meanwhile, my Diamond/Pearl/Platinum cartridges are all Version 1.0, no downloads necessary, and still perfectly playable today.

Shameful, shameful, shameful.

Soooo it wasn't really possible to put this content in the game from the start?!

This is sooo annoying! If you don't have internet or want to buy the game somewhere in the future after the update-servers have stopped, you basically buy a incomplete game.

To anyone who is still buying Pokemon at this point: If you're asking what the problem is, take a look in the mirror. The only reason why GameFreak and their development partners can keep cranking out these rushed, half-baked releases is because people keep buying them in the millions. If you want the quality of the Pokemon games to improve, then hold GameFreak accountable by, I don't know, maybe not buying the games?

Wow this is so stupid, what even is the point of getting the game physical if it only contains half the actual game in it and the other half is all a digital "update"! 💢 How frustrating to have to still sacrifice 3gb of data (6gb if you play both versions) despite paying full price for the physical version, I kinda feel somewhat cheated now...

This is.... so stupid. Just delay the damn game for a month and put it on the cartridge you cowards. I don't even feel like playing these anymore, reading this.

Not that they were a certain purchase for me, I was still on the fence, but now I'm off the fence and it's not the side they wanted me on. Not that they would particularly care of course, so many players will still buy it.

I'll still buy eventually anyway. But it'll take a while. Still haven't gotten Sword and Shield either.

@Yosher This is exactly why the Pokemon games will never get better.

I'm trying to rack my brain to think of something positive...but I'm at a loss. This is just naff. Maybe they release a full fat version later or something, but no Gamefreak, this is not a good look going forward for you I'm afraid. I guess digital players won't know any different so it won't affect sales that much. But still...

@NinjaGuy69 I'll only buy them at a discount. Which is why I said it'll take a while because these games rarely ever go on sale. If they never get to a good enough price for me then I simply won't buy.

Really, in the past I bought them all at launch for full price, but those days are behind me.

@Yosher Once again your avatar looks really miffed at this news! Hehe

@GrailUK I guess it's kind of fitting for how much I complain. XD

I swear I'm not an angry person though!

@Yosher I know (just find the pic funny in this context - sorry)

I remember getting Pokemon Pearl Version for Nintendo DS back in April 2007; it was such an excellent game and my favorite in the series, and it required 0 updates. I guess the times when you could pay full price for a full game are long gone.

@westman98 that was my question exactly

@Jokerwolf he is talking about 2022 not 2023 about new hardware

@noobish_hat this isn’t game freak making the remakes. You do know that right?

I’d complain but honestly this is just the state of gaming these days. Most games never come complete physically anymore. It’s lame but I’m still looking forward to the game regardless.

@anoyonmus 2022 is unrealistic because we would know about it by now.

@Jokerwolf I know that but I am just saying that the guy mentioned earlier said that there is no way that new hardware will come in 2022. And he is right about that

@HedgehogEngine a bigger question is why people are complaining that Pokémon does this day 1 patch while practically every other franchise does the same exact or similar thing for a long time

@thiz There are copies out in the wild.

I didn't asked this before but, is the National Dex in there?

They probably did this to save money by using a smaller card size.

@anoyonmus a bigger question is why people are complaining that Pokémon does this day 1 patch while practically every other franchise does the same exact or similar thing for a long time

The masses don't generally complain as much about things the first time they happen. It takes a while before enough people get upset with a thing to make a stink.

For example, you may see male suicide rates getting alot more attention lately. 'Why now?', you may ask since the stats are nothing new, it's always been this way. It's just the way things work with the masses. It wasn't too long ago that homosexual rights were frowned upon by the masses and then everything flipped. Why? It's just the way the masses work.

Sometimes it just takes the right trigger. Something that has been a long time coming shouldn't be frowned upon when it arrives just because it didn't arrive sooner.

So, the whole game isn't on the cart? What the hell Pokemon?!

I went full in on nostalgia, preordered the physical, but this development makes me second guess that. Sorta defeats the purpose outside nostalgia itself at least.

@Crono1973
Buddy, this is a video game. Nobody should be comparing this to suicide rates.

@westman98 Those were examples of how the masses don't always react to things immediately. A better example might be when people finally made a stink about lootboxes in that EA Star Wars game, that was a trigger or when Cyberpunk released in a severely broken state, people finally got upset.

@Grumblevolcano Jesus christ a "Switch Pro" ain't happening, the next major hardware release will be a next gen Switch or whatever comes after the Switch. A New 3DS or PS4 Pro type mid gen upgrade is clearly not happening.

Also the game didn't need a delay as all the content will be there day 1 providing you get the patch, that's just modern gaming now like it or not and i expect stuff like this will be more common for Nintendo.

@WallyWest Jesus christ a "Switch Pro" ain't happening

Don't you just want to reach through the screen and <insert action here>?

@Grumblevolcano I highly doubt there's a new console coming in 2022.

First of all, New Horizons isn't ending support at all. It's still getting updates, but they're done doing major ones that add in massive features. There'll still be new items added, Holiday refreshes, and bug fixes, as well as probably some smaller stuff that doesn't change the gameplay up that much.

Secondly, BDSP and Arceus releasing close to one another isn't a sign either, given that BDSP and Arceus are two entirely different games for entirely different parts of the community, and BDSP just seems to be a game that TPC can fall back on if Arceus ends up failing, with BDSP also probably being a game that they made only so people didn't complain about not getting Sinnoh remakes.

Thirdly, Smash ending doesn't really indicate much at all.

You do understand too that Pokemon is a series on strict deadlines, right? So a delay for BDSP wasn't possible, even if it did end up needing one. They have episodes of the anime that are supposed to co-release with it, and merch that they can't hold back. It's not because "Nintendo was denying them it so that they can make a game for their next console, the Nintendo swap!"

@Crono1973
I don't see how this Pokemon Day 1 patch is any different from Day 1 patches in other games. If the general public didn't complain about those Day 1 patches, they won't complain about this one.

The only reason this seems to be a big deal for people here is because Pokemon and game patches are somewhat controversial topics on this website.

@westman98 I don't see how this Pokemon Day 1 patch is any different from Day 1 patches in other games. If the general public didn't complain about those Day 1 patches, they won't complain about this one.

What's different about lootboxes in most games and the ones people made a big stink about in that EA Star Wars game a few years ago? Nothing, that was just the trigger.

@VoidofLight
The only thing that will determine when a next-gen Switch will release are the hardware/software sales of the current Switch and the availability of hardware components.

Hardware/software sales of the current Switch are still incredibly strong and hardware components are in very short supply. I agree - I can't see a Switch 2 releasing anytime in 2022.

@Crono1973
To be clear, almost all F2P games have MTX or lootboxes, but people have largely accepted that since there is a general understanding that the developers have to make money somehow.

If we focus specifically on premium games, prior to Battlefront, the only notable games with lootboxes were the sports games (FIFA, Madden, NBA 2K, etc). Most people who buy those games are sports fans who just want to play as their favorite athlete - they probably don't even know what a lootbox is. That's why these games still have lootboxes to this day - their audience simply don't care.

On the other hand, Battlefront 2 appeals to a more traditional gaming audience who obviously didn't react well to all the P2W nonsense.

@HedgehogEngine

This is untrue. Metroid Dread had no Day1 patch.
It got a patch later because a bug was found, but there were no Day 1 patch.

Not all game get Day1 patch.

@HeadPirate actually a super interesting take.

@Jokerwolf Yes things are certainly looking exciting and positive especially with Starlink and Spaceforce. Perhaps by then, it would be so appropriate to have releases of Pokémon “Gold & Silver” on Switch. The remakes of diamond and pearl appear to indicate the path of “brilliant and shining” light ahead.

@thiz People without internet may not be able to download the patch right away.

So this is going to have an "internet download required" sticker on the box, yeah? Otherwise it's just a "rules for thee, but not for me" situation with Nintendo, regarding 3rd parties.

@TimeGuy that definitely had a historical precedent though. The last gba and the dsi xl came out like six months before the da and 3ds. The 2ds xl came out after the switch. And yeah you could argue the switch is not a handheld. You'd be wrong, but you could make that argument.

I want to check out the unpatched game

@Silly_G "Shameful"? "Pathetic"? Jesus Christ, man...
You were never foolish for anything. Opinions change over time. You don't know if these games are garbage unless you give them an honest try.

@Thoughts What you said is true.. but unfortunately unless people keep complaining it will just continue / get worse (it probably will regardless - however, that doesn't mean we should be ok with it).

So 6GB for both versions? Lololololol

How about a patch to include mega evolution.

@anoyonmus Probably because the switch normally doesn't. That's the only reason I can think of. Usually the only games with downloads on day one are third party games, which Pokemon technically is, but you know what I mean.

@westman98 if you're delusional enough, everything seems like a sign of whatever it is you want to be true.

@RainbowGazelle
The game is playable without the Day 1 patch (that's how the people who got a hold of the game early were able to play through it), so the "Internet Download Required" banner isn't needed.

@Zuljaras no, a digital is not fine. People who say this are not thinking about the huge problems of digital. Just look at the Jump Force situation.

If they could, Nintendo would probably gather up every physical copy of their games from previous generations in existence, and burn them.

@Pillowpants,

Yes, this seems the norm for most games these days not sure why some are finding this so strange.

@Grumblevolcano There won't be any new hardware any time soon.

The Nintendo Switch is still selling like hot cakes. So why releasing new hardware, when they keep selling Switch consoles at such numbers.
You have to remember that the WiiU was a disaster for Nintendo and wasn't selling anymore, so they had to accelerate the release of the Switch.
They were barely making enough money from the 3DS at that point.

When it comes to Pokemon. This remake was made by a 3rd party company and not GameFreak.
So GameFreak could fully focus on the spin-off Pokemon Legends.

We can also still very much expect a follow up Mainline game to Pokemon Sword/Shield in holiday 2022 on current Switch.
Which is pretty much guaranteed to be far in development already.

At most, we might see a new hardware announcement in 2023 with release in 2024.

@Grumblevolcano
It's odd and arguably foolish as they could have easily had Arceus release in the fall next year.

However it is far from a suggestion that the next Switch is coming. Remember there are other games coming next year and not just in q1 or q2.
Also Arceus is by Gamefreak, this isn't.
Further, Smash Bros Support couldn't go on forever.

@Jokerwolf
Yes but the Switch isn't just a handheld, it's a home console too, thus that changes reasoning entirely.

Nice to know , thanks NL !

@Jokerwolf They would love to move to an all-digital model as it would allow then to stuff more profits in their already fat and greedy pockets. Thankfully far too many people like me exist who would NEVER buy digital and they would lose out on the majority of their market share if they only released digital.

@Mhayes111387 Just putting your foot down is not going to work unfortunately they make enough money that even if 10% of the people who bought games now didn't it wouldn't ruin their bottom line too much because either you would adapt and go start doing other hobbies or you would not and keep buying games.

@Rosona It doesn't really change too much because it's just gonna be a better switch with a lot more power and may have a gimmick like a wireless dongle for HDMI so when you're out and about you don't need to bring your dock everywhere you go.

@thiz Sometimes Amazon and other online retailers accidentally send them earlier than intended, sometimes Nintendo themselves pick people to play them first.

And then there are the versions released a day early in other countries such as Australia on this release. You'll see Austin John Plays release content before the US release.

Yeah this is fine. Physical editions exist to provide a cheaper way to get games (discounts, imports, second hand), to allow sharing/borrowing of copies, and so that there's something physical to collect on a shelf. This doesn't change any of those things. I'd be fine with the physical edition containing no actual data at all except a licence key. If you're worried about what happens when the update servers are shut down, just pirate the game after that point, no big deal.

Annoying, I'm going to have to upgrade SD card soon. I've been archiving so many games. Maybe 512 gb I'll be set.

@Pillowpants Who seriously does not have access to internet in some way shape or form, especially owning a device like the Nintendo Switch, and if you dont have internet at home, theres many other alternatives.
Places with free WiFi are very abundant, coffee shops, restaurants, hell Walmart, Internet hotspot on your phone, etc, complaining about a little download in this day and age is so petty.

But hey, we all know first world problems are the worst! 🙄

@Silly_G 🙄 Good lord, anything else to complain about?

@HXLXIII I was only speaking hypothetically. Of course we can all assume that everyone owning a Switch has access to the internet.

Why would you not update the game?

I don’t get this. Is this some kind of pirating pandering where losers who can’t afford cheap well crafted products can’t update things or their balanced-on-a-knifeedge setup comes crashing down.

I have zero pity for pirates. They deliberately chose to be idiots. Lots of people are poor and don’t take things without paying (there needs to be a shorter term for that phrase like “stealing”). If all the pirates simply Thanos vanished away painlessly, the world would be a better place.

Of course send all the updates you want Nintendo. Ruin their lives by having small 100kb patches every day containing new TV reading scripts in game. And you can’t play online if you’re not on the latest version.

That’s the best idea ever. I’m gonna fire this one at all the devs in my contacts list.

Simply hate pirates. Scum bags.